Watch the 'American Idol' Audition that Luke Bryan Calls a 'Country Jackson Browne'

Eighteen-year-old singer/songwriter Phil Kane performs his original, “Osage County," on the last night of 'Idol' auditions.

Sunday night is the final night of auditions for American Idol Season 6 on ABC, and judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan are still looking for the gems among the hopefuls, and they find one in 18-year-old Phil Kane from Pawhuska, Okla., a student at Belmont University in Tennessee studying songwriting.

“I write about dirt roads and girls,” he says, and he demonstrates that with his performance of his original song about his hometown, “Osage County.”

All three judges stand up after his performance and Luke shouts out, ‘A country Jackson Browne.’ Then after Phil has a moment to catch his breath and calm his nerves a bit, Luke adds, “You got it done there, big boy!”

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“The moment you started playing the piano, your choices on the piano gave me chills,” Katy tells him. “And then the storytelling of your song …I believed every single word. It was just so real, and I really related to it. I am not even from your hometown, but I want to go and visit now. Osage County, I’m coming. Authenticity will get you so far. It’s not about notes. It’s about telling a story. Isn’t it Lionel Richie?”

“Absolutely,” he responds. “I’m going to tell you something songwriter to songwriter. You check all the boxes, your parallels were perfect, your hook was perfect, your storytelling voice was perfect. And the fact that you wrote that at 18 years old…give me a break.”

Phil surprises Lionel when he says, “I actually wrote it when I was 16.”

“That was dead on the money,” Lionel continues. “We know who your character is. We know exactly what your sound is. That was brilliant what you just did.”

Luke jumps in, and points out, “People don’t have it and people got it, and you got it, Great job.”

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Then before they vote, Katy cautions him, “If you go to this shiny place called Hollywood, don’t try and compete with everyone else. Just try to highlight who you already are. Don’t try to be something you’re not, because that’s how you will not win.”

Luke also has some advice, saying, “You know our winner last year [Noah Thompson], was the simplest, most understated person in the competition, and people believed him.”

And with that, the judges vote Phil through to Hollywood.

American Idol airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Next Sunday will begin the Hollywood Rounds.

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